e.l.f. Discovery

Trend Alert: How to Get the TikTok Viral Cloud Skin Makeup Look

By Victoria Benitez

If you’ve seen cloud skin all over your TikTok FYP, you’re in the right place. This makeup trend speaks for itself, emphasizing a soft matte complexion reminiscent of clouds. Creating the perfect canvas is key to achieving this ethereal look, followed by a strategic method of layering makeup to create a one-of-a-kind celestial glow.

Ready to try a new take on matte skin? In a few simple steps, this cloud skin makeup routine will look like it’s coming from within, with no streaks or visible texture. Its soft matte finish beautifully mimics your skin's natural texture, fluorescent glow, and fresh flush. The trick behind the look is skincare that melts into the skin and a balanced makeup routine that compliments your complexion. Slip into cloud skin with this modern take on matte makeup – just like your skin but softer.

What is Cloud Skin?

We don’t play favorites, but cloud skin might be one of them. If you want to transform dull skin into luminous and soft skin reminiscent of fluffy clouds, this makeup trend is for you. Cloud skin focuses on skincare first and makeup second. We’ll teach you all the techniques to recreate this look in five easy steps to get the look.

First, we’ll lock in moisture with the proper skin prep and lockout dry skin with dewy face products to create an ethereal base. Next, we’ll teach you the best techniques for strategically applying blush, bronzer, and highlighter for a soft-focus application. Then, we’ll set the skin to lock in the cloud skin look. Dive in and try this fresh take on matte skin together! Get ready for your best foundation finish yet. Let’s go!

Step One: Prep for the Perfect Base

Our version of a horror movie begins with dry, dull skin. The solution starts with perfecting your best base and begins with skin prep! This modern take on matte makeup reduces the look of dry skin (without compromising on hydration!), so your makeup can last longer.

You’ll be able to avoid greasy makeup and keep unwanted shine come midday with a soft, plump complexion that celebrates your most natural skin.

To achieve the cloud skin look, you’ll want to prioritize hydration. This makeup trend puts an emphasis on nourished and luminous skin from within. A few skincare products to help you achieve this look are lightweight facial moisturizers and hydrating serums and oils. A moisturized base will help to brighten your complexion followed by a layer of a mattifying primer. By layering your skincare you’ll be able to maintain a lightweight and hydrated appearance when adding your makeup.

Step Two: Achieving a Flawless Canvas with Halo Glow

Show of hands if you knew you could achieve a soft matte look while still having a luminous glow. When creating a cloud skin look, you’ll want to reach for lightweight formulas. Skip the full coverage formulas and search for a breathable glowy complexion booster like our Halo Glow Liquid Filter.

With a damp beauty blender or dense foundation brush, apply the complexion glow booster, targeting areas that need more coverage with a hydrating concealer, and lightly blend into the skin. When choosing a concealer, look for a satin, hydrating finish similar to add some hydration to the skin. Use a dot sparingly to conceal the areas of concern.

Step Three: Where to Apply Blush, Bronzer, and Highlight

Our current color mood board features a cloudy sunset and sky. Your skin is a living color palette, and the makeup you choose should reflect that!

For a healthy flush, find a liquid blush in a rosy tone or sunny coral and focus on applying the blush to the apples of the cheeks to mimic a natural glow. Next up is bronzer. Be sure to use a shade slightly deeper than your natural complexion; a subtle contour can be added with a bronzer. To add a dewy radiance, opt for a creamy or pearlescent highlighter and skip shimmer highlighters to avoid adding texture to the skin. Seamlessly blending all the products is essential to maintain the softness and cloud-like effect on your skin.

Step Four: Apply Pressed Powder for a Soft Matte Look

After you’ve completed your foundation and concealer routine, you’ll want to ensure you set the makeup correctly. We recommend focusing only on the areas that need the most coverage.

For a soft-focus glow, we reach for our Halo Glow Powder Filter, a pressed powder that will give you control over exactly how much you need. If you’re ready for your cloud skin dreams to come true, this buildable formula is for you. To keep the skin looking fresh and radiant, lightweight powders help ensure natural coverage without caking or creasing. We recommend a damp beauty sponge or a soft blending brush to lightly set the powder onto areas needing the most coverage, like your t-zone, leaving the high points of your face untouched and glowy.

Step Five: Shimmer Lip Gloss

The last step is adding a shimmery lip oil to complete your cloud skin makeup look. The Glow Reviver Lip Oil Glimmer is the perfect addition to complete this look. This innovative lip product combines the nourishing benefits of a lip oil with a subtle, shimmery finish that complements the ethereal, soft-focus effect of cloud skin.

The lip oil's lightweight formula glides on smoothly, providing a glossy sheen with a hint of sparkle that catches the light beautifully. Its hydrating properties help to plump and soften the lips, creating a perfect canvas for the overall dewy, diffused appearance of cloud skin makeup.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cloud Skin:

Q: What is Cloud Makeup?

A: Cloud makeup is a beauty trend that creates a soft, diffused, ethereal look focused on glowing, luminous skin. It involves:

  • Lightweight, dewy foundation applied with a soft blending technique

  • Minimal, natural-looking makeup that appears airbrushed

  • Soft, blurred edges instead of sharp contours

  • Emphasis on hydrated, glowing skin

  • Neutral, soft color palette

  • Techniques that make skin look smooth and translucent, similar to cloud skin

The goal is to achieve a fresh, youthful appearance that looks naturally radiant and soft.

Q: How Do You Make Cloud Skin?

A: The key to cloud skin is balance – creating a soft-focus, slightly matte base while maintaining areas of natural radiance. This technique mimics the ethereal look of sunlight filtering through clouds, hence the name. Here's how to achieve the cloud skin effect:

  1. Skincare Prep: Start with a hydrating skincare routine to ensure your skin is well-moisturized and apply a mattifying primer to create a smooth base.

  2. Lightweight Skin Tint: Apply with a damp beauty sponge for a natural, diffused finish.

  3. Strategic Powder Application: Lightly press powder onto the T-zone and other areas prone to shine.

  4. Cream Products for Dimension: Use cream blush, bronzer, and highlighter to add color and dimension.

  5. Shimmer Lip Gloss: By adding a shimmery lip gloss, you'll complete the dreamy, cloud-like makeup look that's been taking TikTok by storm.

Q: What Is the Difference Between Cloud Skin and Glass Skin?

A: Key differences between cloud makeup and glass skin:

Cloud Makeup:

  • Soft, diffused look

  • Blurred, airbrushed appearance

  • Neutral, soft color palette

  • Emphasis on natural, ethereal finish

Glass Skin:

  • Extremely smooth, reflective appearance

  • High-shine, almost wet-looking finish

  • Focuses on intense hydration and extreme luminosity

  • Sharper, more polished look with visible glow

Both trends prioritize radiant skin, but glass skin aims for a more intense, mirror-like shine, while cloud makeup focuses on a softer, more natural ethereal effect.

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